Growing Younger
by blahh4
Summary: AU: Hermione, distraught after getting in a fight with Harry and Ron, cries herself to sleep in the girls bathroom. She wakes up in the same place, except it's Halloween night, 1991. The only thing different, though, is no one is there to save her.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Hey!! This is a What If? fic, and a _major_ AU. I hope you like!

**Disclaimer:** **I own nada.**

**I dedicate this to _Kirjava Deamon_ because she helped me with almost EVERYTHING about the idea of how to portray this. I lurve you!**

**Beta-ed by _Kirjava Deamon_.**

**Chapter 1**

The bushy-haired girl by the name of Hermione Granger stormed into the girl's bathroom, tears threatening to escape her eyes. As she threw the door open so violently that it could've been thrown off its hinges if not being magically bound, she muttered angrily under her breath, "I can't believe them... what friends..."

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, to see a red-cheeked girl with tears streaming down them. The red cheeks were from anger, the tears from the thought of friendship, but oh, oh not. Hadn't it been her who'd been there for them always? Hadn't it always been her who'd gone out of her way to give gifts to them? Hadn't it been HER who'd do there notes to study off of? Hadn't it....

She then sat down against the wall and cried. Was she being sensitive? Perhaps, but they really did hurt her.

She cried for a long time; she lost track of time. She had missed all her afternoon classes, she knew that much. No that _she _cared. No one came in the bathroom, probably because this bathroom was out of the way for most. _But what about Harry or Ron or even Ginny?_

After a long while, she got up and looked out of the windows. It was pitch black. She wasn't going to leave, with the fear of getting caught. So, she decided she would just spend the night here. She wouldn't be missed, that was for sure. Hah...as if!

She sat under one of the sinks, so that she was hidden in the shadows. She sniffed a couple of times, before she drifted off that deepest part of her sleep pattern, her last thought being how much she despised her friends...who SHE'D be a friend to...

It was a low, grumbling sound that awakened Hermione. She sat up, only to forget where she was and bang her head on the sink. She cursed silently and she rubbed her head. She looked out the windows and saw that it was dusk. Hermione tilted her head, confused. What was going on?

It was then that she looked in front of her to see a Mountain Troll, twelve feet high. She gasped, and tried to move back some, only to find that she was as far back as she could go.

The troll started to advance on her, when Hermione suddenly thought, _What am I doing? I watched Harry and Ron battle a troll almost exactly like this in our first year! I'm sixteen years old, I can do this!_

She climbed out from under the sink and shot a few, carefully selected spells from her wand, which had been inside her robes. The troll fell to the ground with a loud _Thud!_

Hermione, breathing deeply, stuck her wand back inside her robes. _I wonder how that got in here..._ She mused to herself.

Just then, she heard hurried footsteps coming towards the bathroom door. A second later, three Professors appeared at the door. McGonagall, Snape, and... _Quirrel?_

"What are _you_ doing here?!" Hermione gasped, pointing at Quirrel. Quirrel looked taken aback, and McGonagall surprised.

"Miss Granger, what's gotten into you?" She asked, confused.

Hermione looked at McGonagall. "What are you _talking_ about?" She questioned angrily. "Remember what happened at the end of mine and Harry's and Ron's first year?"

McGonagall was more confused than ever. "What are you talking about, Miss Granger?"

Hermione shook her head in disbelief and then turned to look at herself in the mirror. What she saw almost made her faint.

Her reflection in the mirror showed an eleven year old Hermione Granger.

"Miss Granger, are you alright?" McGonagall asked gently.

Hermione looked back at her, pale as a ghost. "Yes," She croaked. "I'm-I'm just a little shook up about the-the troll."

McGonagall looked at her in sympathy. "That's quite all right, Miss Granger. You may go."

Hermione exited quickly, and, during that long walk from the bathroom to the Gryffindor Common Room, she had time to think.

Why was she eleven again? What happened? Was this all a dream? And most importantly... why hadn't Harry and Ron come to save her?

All these questions had to be answered, but, before she could ponder them for too long, she had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Oh, lion," She said distantly, using the password that was being used in her sixth year.

"No, Miss Granger," The Fat Lady said.

"Oh... oh, um..." Hermione tried to think back to the password that had been used five years back, but had no luck. "I'm sorry, I can't remember." She sighed.

"Yes, I know," The Fat Lady said. When Hermione gave her an odd look, she said quickly, "I heard about the troll."

"Oh," Realization hit Hermione. "Yeah."

"That's okay, dear, it's Pig Snout,"

Hermione smiled weakly and nodded. "Pig snout," she said and the portrait swung open, revealing the Gryffindor common room, where the Gryffindors were enjoying the last of the Halloween feat.

Hermione looked around and saw Harry and Ron, sitting in a corner, eating and chatting away happily. Seeing them made Hermione burn with anger. Why hadn't they come to save her?

She stomped upstairs to her dormitory, noticed by no one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hermione woke up late the next day. Grumbling, she sat up, yawned and stretched, and glanced at her bedside clock.

"7:30!?" She exclaimed, jumping out of bed. She quickly brushed her teeth, tried to tame her hair a little, grabbed her bag, and rushed to the Great Hall, with no time to realize what she saw in the mirror...

_Hm, I wonder what Harry and Ron are thinking... I'm not usually late,_ Hermione thought as she practically ran into the Great Hall. _I wonder why they didn't wait for me..._

She caught sight of Ron and Harry, talking heatedly about something, most likely Quidditch. Her heart sunk slightly as she saw that they didn't save a seat for her, but she pushed it away as she approached them

"Hey, sorry I'm late, guys," Hermione said, breathing heavily. "I woke up late... why didn't you wait for me? And why didn't you save me a seat?"

They looked up at her in confusion.

"What?" She asked, looking from one to the other.

"What are you talking about?" Ron spat.

She opened my mouth in anger. "What do you mean -?" And that's when she realized that she was looking at the eleven-year-old versions of Harry and Ron. "Damn, I forgot..." She cursed herself angrily.

"What are saying?" Harry narrowed his eyes.

She thought back to before she became friends with those two. What would she say...?

She glared at them. "Nothing that concerns you." She turned on her heel and stomped out of the Hall, although not in time to miss Ron mutter angrily to Harry, "What is wrong with her?" She would bet everything she owned that Harry had been wondering the same thing.

She sat down in a dark corner, brought her knees up to her chest, and sat there for what seemed like hours. She didn't cry; she just sat there, thinking...

What was going on? How in the world had she gone back in time to the body of her eleven-year-old self? And why hadn't Harry and Ron come to save her?

That same thought kept drifting in and out of her mind and she pondered it. No conclusion came to mind.

"What are you doing here, Mudblood?" A sneering female voice spoke from somewhere above her. Hermione looked up to see the eleven-year-old Pansy Parkinson.

"Shove it, Parkinson," Hermione growled.

"Aww," Pansy taunted. "Is the wittle Mudblood sad about the ebil troll from yesterday? That you had no friends to save you? Isn't that why you were in the bathroom anyway, crying because you have no friends? That's what Brown and Patil are telling everyone." She smirked.

"Whatever, Parkinson," Hermione snarled, and got up, pushing Pansy out of her way as she grabbed her bag to her first class.

"You know why you have no friends, right, Mudblood?" Pansy yelled after her, snickering. Hermione heard her walk away. She fell back against the wall and sniffed. _Why don't I have any friends?_ She thought miserably.

She took a shaky breath to regain herself and set off for Transfiguration.

Halfway so the Transfiguration classroom, she realized that she was back in first year, and Transfiguration wasn't her class right now. _Let's see... Ugh! I don't even know what day of the week is it!_

She slipped quietly back into the Great Hall, waited in the shadows until a first year Gryffindor got up and went to their class. To her great displeasure, the first ones to get up were none other that Ron and Harry.

They passed her, not acknowledging her in the least, and she followed them a few paces behind. She tried to look casual, like she knew where she was going, but it was quite difficult.

It was right then that she realized that her book bag was considerably lighter. Confused, she checked it to make sure she had everything. She had her Transfiguration book and her Potions book. She sighed. That was the classes that she had before lunch in her sixth year. She had the wrong books now.

"Are you following us?" Asked an abrupt voice rudely.

Hermione looked up, startled, into the annoyed faces of Harry and Ron. "No," Hermione snapped. "I was-,"

"Following us," Harry supplied.

Hermione sighed in annoyance. "I _do_ have the same classes as you, ya know."

Ron and Harry exchanged looks. "Our first class is Potions." Harry said.

"And...?"

"We're not on our way to classes now. We're going to the Gryffindor Tower." Ron snorted. "You say that you're going to classes, except that you're going to complete wrong way."

Hermione turned an instant red color. "Oh. Well, it's just – I had the wrong books."

Harry walked over and looked in her bag. "Well you have your Potions books."

Hermione made a sound of annoyance. "Well, what about my other subject?"

"We don't have any other classes after Potions," Ron told her. "It's Double Potions, and then the afternoon off."

"Oh, right. Well, I was just taking my Transfiguration book back." Hermione rambled, realizing how stupid and obvious she was sounding.

Harry and Ron exchanged looks again. "Right," Ron said.

They started walking towards the dungeon as Hermione dashed to her dormitory to drop off her Transfiguration book. She then ran to the dungeons so that she wasn't late.

She reached the classroom, flushed and panting for breath, just as the bell rang.

"Tisk, tisk, Miss Granger," Snape said icily. "Ten points from Gryffindor for your tardiness. Now take a seat before I make it fifty."

Hermione slowly took a seat in the very back, isolated from everyone else. She worked alone for the whole two hours, and towards the end of class, she heard some snickering. She looked over to see Harry and Ron, bent over, telling Dean and Seamus something. They all looked over at her, but then quickly looked away. Hermione saw that Harry's face showed the slightest trace of guilt as Hermione's face flashed with hurt, but she didn't care. She hated him. She hated both of them. She hated everyone. If she ever got back to her own time, she would make sure that they never speak again.

After class, Hermione gathered her stuff, skipped lunch, ran to her dormitory, and cried into her pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Hermione was having the worst time of her life at Hogwarts. She was alone all the time, forced to sit by herself in classes, have to live with the whispers made by her classmates, and the worst part of it was that she didn't know how to get back to her sixth year, so she might have to go through seven years at Hogwarts without any friends, and knowing of the glorious life she led before.

One day in mid-November was a day no different. Hermione went to her classes, sitting wherever a seat was left, and trying to learn while listening to the whispering and pointing in her direction.

As she was going to lunch, she was stopped by the last person she wanted to see.

"Granger, I have to talk to you,"

Hermione sighed in annoyance. "What is it Parkinson?"

"Well, a group of Slytherins and I are planning something against a certain Gryffindor," She sneered.

Hermione nodded slowly. "And...?"

"Well, since you have no friends-," She smirked, "-we were thinking that you might wanna help us on getting this person expelled."

"Expelled?"

"Yeah... unless you're afraid of getting shunned from the mean old Gryffies," Parkinson smirked some more.

Hermione smirked back, and said, "Of course I'll help," and not regretting it in the least.

Parkinson didn't expect that; her smirk turned into surprise as she stammered, "Seriously?"

"Seriously," Hermione smiled evilly. Maybe she could get back at the Gryffindors for treating her like dirt.

Parkinson started smirking again, and said, "Come on over to our table, Granger. You're acting like a true Slytherin right now."

Hermione followed Parkinson to the Slytherin table, receiving many surprised glances.

Parkinson led her to the end of the table, where all of the other first year Slytherins were huddled together. They looked up at Hermione and Parkinson, confused.

"What's this, Parkinson?" Malfoy spat.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Parkinson answered, "Granger agreed to help us on our plan."

They all blinked.

"What if she rats us out?" Malfoy asked. "She IS a Gryffindor!"

Parkinson glanced at Hermione. "That's true. She might rat us out."

Hermione signed in annoyance. "Do you think I would wanna try and stop you all from trying to expel someone who's been treating me like a piece of crap?"

There was silence for a moment as they all thought that over. "No," Parkinson spoke up first.

"Exactly," Hermione sat down, Parkinson following suit. "So, what are we going to do?"

As Hermione was on the other side of the Hall discussing what the Slytherins were going to do, the Gryffindors were discussing something of their own.

"What the bloody hell does Granger think she's doing with the Slytherins?" Ron asked angrily, glancing every few seconds at her.

Harry shrugged. "I dunno,"

"Maybe she's turned to the Dark Side!" Seamus suggested.

"Good," Dean said. "She won't do anything harmful."

They all laughed.

"This isn't a laughing matter, guys," Lavender spoke up.

They all glanced at her. "Why not?" Neville asked.

"Hermione is probably over there because she's not welcome here," Parvati said.

All the guys blinked. "So?"

Parvati sighed. "Fine. So when Hermione goes to the Dark Side and is killed, we'll all know whose fault it is." She and Lavender got up huffily and left to their dormitory.

Ron and Harry glanced at each other.

Back at the Slytherins table, they had all discussed their plan of action. The Slytherins were trying to expel Harry Potter, acting on an order from Malfoy's father. Harry Potter was a great threat to the Dark Lord, and they had to keep him from getting the magical education he needed. So Malfoy was going to challenge Harry to a duel at midnight in the trophy room, and then tip off Filch. We were all to try our best to help Filch catch Harry, and then, if that doesn't work, we'll need to think of other ways to expel Harry Potter. Hermione didn't even care that she was helping the Dark Side, which surprised her; all she cared about now was getting back at Harry and his little friends for treating her like an alien. She knew the was changing the future, but it had already been changed, so what could happen if she changed it a little more?

"So, does everyone know what they're going to do?" Malfoy asked, yet again.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, Malfoy, we all know what we're going to do, what you're going to do, and what everyone else is going to do."

Malfoy looked at her and smirked. "Looks like some of the Slytherin touch is wiping off on you, Granger."

Hermione blinked. He was right, it was... but its better this way, right? Because she had friends with the Slytherins... and none with the Gryffindors.

She grinned and said, "You know it,"

They all got up and went to their dormitories; Hermione was upset that she was going to have to go to the Gryffindor common room with people whom she hated, and vise versa, while it would be so much better for her to go to the Slytherin common room, where she actually had friends.

She got to her dormitory, and said nothing to anybody as she showered, changed, and climbed into bed. She was about to drift off to sleep when she heard "Um, Hermione?"

She sighed, exasperated. "What?" She snapped at Lavender.

Lavender and Parvati were both on Lavenders bed. They glanced at each other quickly and Parvati said, "Um, why were you at the Slytherin table today?"

Hermione glared. "Why does any of that matter to you?"

"Well, because they're Slytherin!" Lavender exclaimed.

Hermione sat up. "So? Why are you suddenly worrying about me? It's not like you ever made an effort to become friends with me. As a matter of fact, _no one_ made an effort to become friends with me. And now I'm friends with the Slytherins. And you can't stop me." Fuming, she closed the curtains and turned away from the other girls.

"Hermione-,"

"SHUT UP!"

Silence. Hermione smirked and then drifted off to sleep without the help of tears.

The next day, Hermione woke up bright and early. The first thought that came to her was that it had all been a dream. That she still had no friends, and Harry was going to be at this school all seven years. She quickly showered and got her books and then went to breakfast.

Not knowing what to do, she sat down at her usual spot in the Gryffindor table and ate quietly.

"Granger!"

Hermione spun around and saw the Slytherins sitting in a group. Parkinson was motioning for her to join them. Hermione smirked and joined them.

"Why were you eating at the Gryffindor table?" Malfoy asked.

Hermione shrugged. "I guess I kinda forgot. I'm like that in the morning."

"Okay, I'm going," Malfoy announced, and he walked his way toward the Gryffindor table, his bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle, at his side. He talked to Harry for a minute, and then Ron jumped to his side, and made a remark. Malfoy smirked and said something. A moment later he came back.

"Part One is completed," Malfoy reported. "Potter is going to 'meet' me in the trophy room, midnight tonight. Weasley is his second, so he'll be there too," He smirked.

Hermione glanced over at Harry and Ron and they looked up from their conversation, right at her. She fakely smiled and waved. Then she turned back to the Slytherins.

"I'll tip of Filch," She muttered. The Slytherins nodded in agreement.

Hermione left breakfast early, and took a detour to her first class, Charms, by passing Filch's office. The door was opened and Filch was seated at his desk, stroking his cat, Mrs. Norris.

She casually walked in. "Hello, Mr. Filch," She said smoothly. His head snapped up to her.

"What do you want?" He snarled.

"Well, I _was_ going to tip you off about a student that was going to be out of bed tonight," She said, and he was instantly more alert, "but since you were so rude to me, I've decided not to tell you."

Filch stood up. "You better tell me girl, or you'll be kicked outta this school along with the other student."

Hermione grinned. "Okay. Well," She leaned closer, "you didn't hear it from me, but a certain Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley are going to be in the trophy room tonight at midnight. Now, make sure you catch them, or you'll have no way to prove that they were there. Got it? Trophy room at midnight."

"Good job, girl. Now get to yer class." Filch snapped.

Hermione smirked. "My pleasure," and she went off to Charms.

At lunch, Hermione seated herself at the Slytherin table yet again, and said, "Part Two is completed,"

"You told Filch?" Parkinson exclaimed.

"Yup. I even told him who it was," She grinned evilly.

"Good job, Granger!" Nott smirked. "Now all he has to do is corner them, and then, not only do we get Potter kicked out, but Weasel too!"

"He'll be a disgrace to the Weasley line," Malfoy smirked as well. "Perfect."

"Granger, I gotta hand it to ya, I didn't think you were gonna be able to pull through with this," Parkinson admitted. "But... wow! You ratted out that two of your own house so that they'd be expelled. AND you're a bookwormy Gryffindor. You're gonna go down in history."

They other Slytherins nodded. "Definitely."

Hermione grinned. She didn't know why she was acting this way, but she did know one thing... she liked it.

And then she remembered about her future, and how much she was changing. What if she suddenly woke up, back im her sixth year, except totally different? What if she was with Slytherin? For some reason, that didn't seem to worry her much anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Hey I'm writing again, it's amazing!! And, a realized a huge mistake that I'm so surprised nobody caught. Harry and Ron we're going to duel with Malfoy _before_ Halloween, not after. So that was a mistake that I plan on fixing. Also, I'm sorry if I have the lessons in the wrong order, but I don't have my first HP book with me. My brother has it and he won't let me look at it. 

I started writing this Monday, I'm finally finished! Holy goodness, nearly 12 pages, that's an accomplishment for me.

**Chapter 4**

Hermione enjoyed the rest of her first year in this oddly parallel world. She always ate meals at the Slytherin table, sat with the Slytherins whenever she had classes with them, and would blow off all the Gryffindors. Parvati and Lavender were trying to be nice to her and accept her, but Hermione would merely sneer and tell them it was too late. In the case of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, they were just as big of enemies as they used to be friends. When Harry and Ron found out that Hermione was helping the Slytherins in trying to get Harry expelled, they stopped ignoring her, and started being nasty to her. They would make snide comments about her in classes that she could plainly hear; they would insult her looks and intelligence, and would purposely run into her in the halls. But Hermione didn't care; they were supposed to be her friends, but it turned out they hadn't cared if she was murdered by that troll. The only reason Harry and Ron had saved her in the real world was so that they could make it to their upcoming years.

But then, as the year was slowly coming to an end, Hermione remembered something; Voldemort. Somehow, she has completely forgotten about him, and she realized she was hanging out with people who would eventually become Death Eaters that would help Voldemort rise to power and they would kill all those Muggles and Muggle-born's. Her entire family was Muggles; did she really want them all to die? No.

And then she remembered Fluffy, the Sorcerer's Stone, and Quirrel. Harry was the only person that could stop Quirrel. And Harry was still trying to figure out about Fluffy and what he was hiding, Hermione knew; she had seen him and Ron in the library looking up things and talking in hushed voices.

She realized that it was only a couple weeks before Quirrel was due to try and get the stone. She _had_ to find a way to give Harry the information he needed before Voldemort got the stone. But how was she to do that? Harry and Ron wouldn't believe her if they knew it was her that gave them this information. But she had to do it. When she thought back to her first year, she had saved Harry and Ron from the Devil's Snare, and she had got Harry through the flames and to the stone. Also, it was her who found Flamel. No matter how much she despised Harry and Ron at the moment, she wasn't so cold hearted as to want them _dead_.

So, what she did was she composed a very long note that told all about who Nicolas Flamel was, told about the Sorcerer's Stone, and how to kill a Devil's Snare. It also included that they were to "drink the smallest bottle." Knowing Harry, he was bound to think that was odd (as most people would think), but Harry would keep it in mind nonetheless, and he would know what it means when the time was right.

After Transfiguration, the Gryffindors went to lunch, and Hermione, as usual, sat at the Slytherin table. She kept glancing around at the entrance to catch when Harry and Ron left for the library, and when she saw them heading out of the Great Hall, she jumped up from the table, told the Slytherins that she had to go to the library to finish up some homework, and hurried out of the Hall.

She followed Harry and Ron from a few paces behind, and would casually burry herself in her bag so they wouldn't think she was following them.

As she was walking, however, she ran smack dab into someone and was thrown backward, her books and parchment flying everywhere. Embarrassed, she threw her books back into her bag, mumbled an apology, and stood up, brushing her hair out of her eyes. As she looked into the face of who she had run into, however, she realized they were none other than Harry and Ron.

"Watch where you're going," Ron sneered at her.

Hermione stared at him coolly and calmly. "Don't worry, Weasley, I wouldn't want to run into you on _purpose_."

Ron glared, and Harry said, "Were you following us?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "No, Potter, I was on my way to the library to do my Transfiguration homework."

"Well, we were going to the library too," Ron shot at her.

"Oh, I see, so whoever enters the library after yourselves must be following you?" Hermione inquired. Receiving no answer, she brushed roughly passed them and walked another corridor and into the library. She sat at a table that had a view of the entrance to the library. About a moment after Hermione had sat down, Harry and Ron entered the library, talking in their usual hushed voices. They separated, each grabbing a stack of books, and then sat at their usual table, reading,

Hermione had to find a way to get them the note without them noticing that _she_ was giving it to them. She hid behind a bookcase, and then peered around at their table. They were both deeply immersed in their books, and took no notice that they were being watched. She turned away, silently crumpled the piece of paper, looked around at them again, and then tossed the paper at them, so that it hit Harry in the head. She turned back again, and hurried away to hide behind a different bookcase. She saw Harry look around to where she had been standing earlier, looking for the thrower. He gave up the search, went back to Ron, and unfolded the note. Hermione saw their eyes moving back and forth as they read, and when they finished, their eyes were wide. Hermione turned away again as they looked around quickly. Then they started speaking to each other in hushed voices.

"Harry – what does this mean?" Ron whispered.

"I dunno… but it explains a lot. I don't know if it's true, though. How could Professor Quirrel be Voldemort's servant? What about Snape?" Harry answered.

"Maybe the person who threw this at you is mental," Ron said simply.

"I don't know… but I do wish I knew who _did_ throw this."

There was a pause. They seemed to be doing some serious thinking. Well, Harry was, at least.

"Well," said Harry finally. "This note says that -," There was a pause, and Hermione assumed that Harry was either checking around for eavesdroppers again, or checking the note again to make sure his logic was correct, "- says that to get past Fluffy, we have to play him some music. And, this note talks about killing a Devil's Snare and 'drinking the smallest bottle', so this must prove our theory about there being other enchantments guarding whatever Fluffy was guarding… which is this Stone. So, I guess the thrower thought that we could get past the other enchantments without any help. I think we should keep this, go past Fluffy when they told us to, and try and get past as many of the other enchantments as we can." Harry finished.

"But… what if it's a trap? I mean, they told us to go the night of the last exam… that's in two weeks." Ron muttered reluctantly. "Why would they tell us a certain day to go?"

Harry sighed. "We'll just have to take the risk. If we could stop Voldemort from rising to power using this Stone, then I think it's worth it, do you? Besides, maybe they told us a day before Quirrel or Voldemort is going to go, and they wanted us to have some time."

Hermione assumed that Ron nodded.

"Besides, everything here makes sense… except for the Quirrel part. And I don't think just anyone would say Quirrel to lure us in. They would've just said that it was Snape. But, they said Quirrel… which makes me think this isn't just a trap." Harry said.

"But what if Malfoy wrote it?"

"Does that look like Malfoy's writing to you?" Harry asked sharply.

Hermione guessed that Harry had just glanced at the clock, because he said abruptly, "It's time for Defense Against the Dark Arts… we might as well go." They gathered their stuff, and exited the library.

Hermione leaned back into her chair, and breathed sigh of relief. Her plan had worked, and she felt good. If Harry and Ron did everything right, then, in about two weeks, Harry will wake up in the hospital wing, and Quirrel will be dead.

Then she slapped her hand to her forehead. Why hadn't she just told them to go tonight? Then they could've got the stone without having to worry about Quirrel getting there first... but I guess it's better this way, Hermione thought. Quirrel isn't supposed to live, so I guess he has to die, and the only way for that to happen is for him to go the same time as Harry goes.

She sighed again. What would Harry and Ron do if they ever found out it was _her_ who had wrote the note? What if they 'realized' that they should be friends? She could just imagine it… Harry and Ron coming up to her, saying "Oh, Hermione, you're so smart and you helped us stop Voldemort… we _must_ be destined for friendship!"

She couldn't _believe_ that she had thought Harry and Ron were her friends. They were probably proud of themselves; they had managed to keep her believing that, for five whole years, that they were friends. She would never, ever forgive them, nor will she ever forget what they had said about her… oh, it had hurt so much…

But she shook that from her mind. She wasn't about to relive that moment. And then… something else occurred to her.

Why was she back in her first year? What was the point of her coming back here? Was it… was it possibly to remind her that being friends with Harry and Ron was the only thing that had made her happy? No… that's not possible! They made her miserable. They had only been using her for five years! Knowing that made her past years at Hogwarts even worse that was she was living through now.

But… should she possibly force herself to believe that, so she could get back to her time and then continue despising Harry and Ron? No… that wouldn't fool anything.

This is all a dream, Hermione thought to herself suddenly. This is a dream so you can see what life would have been like if you hadn't become friends with Harry and Ron. It's all a dream. Hermione forced herself to believe that.

She glanced at the clock and realized she was late for her lesson. She jumped up, pushed all her books into her bag, and ran out of the library and all the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

When she arrived, she was ten minutes late. She burst into the classroom, her face red and flushed, and her hair everywhere. She was panting, and she mumbled to Professor Quirrel, "Sorry, Professor, I was in the library… lost track of time…"

Professor Quirrel, as if shocked and rattled by her sudden appearance, told her it was alright and that it shouldn't happen again. She nodded, but not without feeling a surge of anger. She always got one when she looked at Quirrel, which was very often. She has learned to fight it, however, so that she wouldn't start cursing Quirrel into oblivion.

She looked around and saw four of the Gryffindor boy sniggering at her, not counting Neville. She rolled her eyes at them, and as she walked passed them, hissed menacingly, "Since when was being late a terrible crime?" and then sat down at the back of the room, alone.

"Settle down…" Quirrel muttered in a shaky voice.

They had another uneventful lesson; Quirrel just basically told them what to do if a vampire isn't repelled by garlic… which is nonsense, since every vampire is afraid of garlic. If you met a vampire that wasn't afraid of garlic, then he was obviously _not_ a vampire.

After the lesson, Hermione left slowly behind the Gryffindors on her way to Charms. They met up with the Slytherins, who were just leaving Charms. As the other Gryffindors brushed passed them, Hermione hung around the converse.

"Hey, Granger," Pansy muttered. "We've been doing some thinking, and we think that you should ask Dumbledore for a house change."

Hermione blinked. "A house change?"

"Yeah," Draco said. "I mean, you hang out with us and not the Gryffindors, you eat at our table, and you have the personality of a Slytherin. If you belong in Slytherin, why waste your time in Gryffindor?"

"What if Dumbledore doesn't think that I should change?" Hermione countered. "What if he thinks that I'm supposed to be where I am?"

"What, you wanna stay where you are?" Theodore Nott questioned her.

"No!" Hermione exclaimed at once. "No, I'm just saying that Dumbledore might think that I belong in Gryffindor, and that's why the Sorting Hat put me there in the first place."

"People change," Millicent Bulstrode said simply. Hermione studied her.

"That's true…" She said slowly.

"Exactly!" Pansy grinned. "Ask him after Charms."

"Wait! But I'm Muggle-born!" Hermione reminded them.

They all paused. All of them had forgotten that Hermione come from an entire line of Muggles. She knew so much more about magic than they did that they pushed it out of their minds.

"Well… maybe your cunning mind and Slytherin qualities could make up for that," Pansy said awkwardly.

"Um… yeah," Nott said. After another uncomfortable pause, the Slytherins left.

Hermione sighed, and then entered the Charms room right before the bell rang.

When she got in the room, the Gryffindors whispers stopped abruptly. The boys sneered at her, and Lavender and Parvati smiled nervously at her. She didn't smile back; she merely took a seat at the back of the classroom, like usual.

Charms was fairly easy; they just reviewed levitating and some other stuff for the upcoming exams. However, they ended up with mountains of homework.

Directly after the lesson, Hermione, following what Pansy said, went to Professor Dumbledore's office. She approached the gargoyle and stopped in her tracks. Neither she, Harry, nor Ron had gone to Dumbledore's office in their first year; Harry was the first to go there, and that was in their second year.

"Er…" Hermione paused, for she did now know the password.

However, to her luck, the gargoyles sprang apart, and the staircase started twisting; someone was coming down the stairs. A moment later, Professor McGonagall appeared.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing here?" Professor McGonagall eyed her suspiciously. Professor McGonagall didn't like Hermione much anymore because she was spending time with the Slytherins.

"I would like to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione answered coolly. Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes, but let Hermione go up the stairs anymore. Hermione brushed past her without a backwards glance. She walked up the twisting staircase, and knocked three times on Professor Dumbledore's door.

It opened almost immediately. Professor Dumbledore stood in the doorway, his eyes sparkling from behind his half-moon glasses.

"Ah, Miss Granger," Professor Dumbledore smiled. "What a pleasant surprise. Please, come in, sit down," He gestured behind me to a chair in front of his desk. Hermione gave a small smile and plopped into the squashy armchair. Professor Dumbledore walked past her and sat in the chair behind his desk.

"So, Miss Granger, why, may I ask, are you here?" Professor Dumbledore smiled at her warmly.

"Well, sir," Hermione stammered, nervously, "I've been doing some thinking… I mean, I don't really spend much time with the Gryffindors… and the only time I'm really with them is when I'm in the common room for bed! So, it just really doesn't make any sense that -,"

"Your point, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore smiled pleasantly. Hermione blushed.

"Yes, sorry professor," She muttered. "I was just wondering… could I possibly have a- a house change?" She braced herself.

Dumbledore, however, studied her. "A house change… how very interesting." He smiled. "Well, I don't know if you know, but I have never been asked this before. Actually -," He thought for a second, "- I don't believe that this has _ever_ been asked before. A house change… very interesting…" He repeated. "Why has this thought come to you?"

"Well," Hermione began, "Like I said, I don't really spend much time with the Gryffindors, and I just don't think I belong with them. And I don't think that I still acquire the major characteristics of a Gryffindor."

"And what house do you believe you belong in now?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Well… I was kind of thinking… Slytherin," She mumbled.

"Ah," Dumbledore smiled at her again. "Are you also doing this so you can be with your friends?"

"No!" Hermione lied quickly. "Well… I mean… I've been told that I act much more like them than I do the Gryffindors… and I don't like being a Gryffindor… I think my stay at Hogwarts would be a lot more pleasant if I were in a different house." Hermione told him.

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Well… I don't suppose it couldn't hurt to _try_ to have a house change. We'll do it in my office, not in front of the whole school. If the Sorting Hat places you in Gryffindor again, I do not want you to ask me again for a house change. If you are placed in the same house twice, you must belong there. However, if you are placed in a different house, we will immediately move your thingsinto your new dormitory. And, if you are possibly not put in Slytherin, I still don't want you come back and ask me for a house change."

"Oh, thank you Professor Dumbledore! When can we do it? Now?" Hermione was beaming and jumping in her chair like a child.

"No, not now," Dumbledore's eyes bored into her. "Tomorrow, after classes. I have much too much work."

"Okay, thank you sir!" Hermione said again, and left his office, her heart feeling very light.

Hermione was ecstatic as she took her usual seat at the Slytherin house table and told them that the next day she would be up for a house change.

"Alright!" Pansy grinned. "That's great! Now you can be where you belong."

"Are we allowed to come?" Theodore Nott asked her.

"I don't know…" Hermione answered sheepishly. She hadn't asked Dumbledore about that one.

"Well, we'll show up anyway," Draco waved it aside. "I mean, what's wrong with us attending your re-sorting? I mean, the whole school saw your first sorting."

"Too true," Hermione said thoughtfully. "But remember, I might not be put in Slytherin. While I'm sure that I won't be in Hufflepuff, I could be put in Ravenclaw. I mean, I am the smartest witch of our year."

The Slytherins waved that aside as well. Chaylse Wilona, another Slytherin first year girl, said, "With your Slytherin personality, there's no way you'll be put in Ravenclaw."

"But, if I do get put in Ravenclaw, Professor Dumbledore won't let me try to get re-sorted again. He told me that this is my only chance." Hermione told them.

"So?" Draco spat. "Are you saying that you'd rather be in Gryffindor than Slytherin?"

"No! I'm not saying that! I'm just warning you that -,"

"Look, we don't care about warnings," Blaise Zabini told her. "We know that you'll be put in Slytherin, so there's nothing to worry about, right? Right?" He said again as Hermione hesitated.

"Right," She said reluctantly.

"Good," Blaise said.

The next morning Hermione had Herbology and then a break before lunch, and then Double Potions with the Slytherins. Since Hermione had started hanging out with the Slytherins, Snape seemed to like her a lot more than the other Gryffindors, and decided to treat her like a Slytherin than a Gryffindor. This was a great bonus to her, since she didn't have to work quite as hard on Potions than she did in other classes, since Snape would always give her O's.

That day, however, Hermione could barely concentrate. She didn't pay any attention in Herbology, and when Professor Sprout asked her to identify a plant, Hermione hadn't been paying attention so she said she didn't know. She got many gasps from the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs around her.

In Potions, as she sat next to Pansy and Chaylse, she couldn't keep her mind on the ingredients she was supposed to be adding to her Forgetful Potion. Her mind kept drifting off to the time when, after the bell rang, she and the rest of the first year Slytherins would be making their way toward Dumbledore's office, getting ready for her re-sorting.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, the bell that signaled the end of classes for the day rang, and the Slytherins hurriedly stuffed their books into their bags and tore off to Dumbledore's office.

As they rounded the corridor to his office, they found him standing in front of the gargoyles, looking pleased.

"Ah, right on time," He beamed at them. "Come in." He turned to the gargoyles and said "Tootsie Pops" which was obviously the password, because the gargoyles sprang apart to let them through. They all followed Dumbledore up the spiral staircase and into his circular office. In the middle stood a stool with the legendary Sorting Hat sitting on top of it.

"Miss Granger, we will make this quick. Just sit on the stool, place the Sorting Hat on your head, and we will await the answer." Dumbledore smiled warmly at her, his eyes twinkling yet again.

Hermione nodded, shaking with nerves. She slowly walked to the stool, picked up the hat, sat down, facing the Slytherins and Professor Dumbledore, and lowered the hat onto her head, blocking them all from view.

Hermione waited a few second before a small voice said, _"Ah, hello Miss Granger. You're back. I see that you would like a house change?"_

"Um… yes," Hermione thought.

"Very interesting. I have never had this happen before. It should be interesting. Oh… but what is this? The memories of a different life?"

Hermione's heart plummeted. The hat could see what had happened in her world?

_"Oh wow… this is very, very interesting… I see that you have come from an alternate reality and somehow into this one… and I see also that in that life, you were best friends with Messrs Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley… this is very interesting…"_

Hermione wished that the hat would stop saying how interesting this situation was.

_"I'm very sorry Miss Granger…"_ The small voice said, or thought, suddenly.

"Why?" Hermione thought sharply.

_"I'm sorry what I am about to do. What I am about to do will cause you pain and misery beyond anything you have ever imagined. I apologize, but it is what I have to do…_ SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled this out to the whole office.

Hermione heard cheers, and she slowly removed the hat from her head, stood up, and placed it back on the stool. She tried to look happy, but couldn't. She didn't understand the hat's words to her… how is being in Slytherin going to cause her pain and misery? Was it because in her world she was to belong in Gryffindor? This world isn't real; how could is cause her pain and misery?

Pansy clapped her on the back. "Great job Granger! We were wondering what was taking so long. You had the hat on for nearlytwo minutes!"

"Yeah… well… I guess it was a tough decision," Hermione shrugged.

"Why don't you seem happier?" Theodore asked her.

"I am happy!" Hermione assured them quickly. "I just don't show it."

This seemed to satisfy the Slytherins. They shrugged and said "Okay,"

"Congratulations, Miss Granger. You received the thing you were seeking. You must be very proud of yourself." Dumbledore smiled at her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I am proud. Thank you for giving me the chance, Professor Dumbledore," Hermione smiled back.

"You're quite welcome," His eyes twinkled their famous twinkle.

With that, her new fellow house mates ushered her out of the office.

At dinner, Hermione sat at the Slytherin table, but this time, she was welcome, as she was now a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor.

However, while Hermione was eating, Parvati and Lavender approached her.

Lavender cleared her throat. "Um, Hermione?"

Hermione gave her a cold stare. "Yes, Brown?"

"Um… Parvati and I were wondering if -,"

"- if you'd like to each dinner with us for a change." Parvati finished for Lavender quickly.

"I don't think so," Hermione grinned. "I think I should eat at my house table.

Parvati and Lavender stared. "B-but you're a -,"

"A Slytherin, Patil. As of about a half an hour ago." Hermione smiled pleasantly. "And, unlike when I was a Gryffindor, I actually like sitting at my house table."

Parvati and Lavender kept staring, so Hermione waved at them and said, "Good-bye," and continued with her dinner.

Hermione glanced at the Gryffindor table after Parvati and Lavender joined them. The two girls were whispered to the other Gryffindors, and they all turned to glare at her, excluding the girls and Neville.

Hermione waved pleasantly at them the same way she had waved to Parvati and Lavender and started again on her dinner.

About ten minutes later, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement, and Hermione could only guess what it was.

"Today in my office, something happened that has never happened, or even been brought up, in Hogwarts history. A student approached me and asked for a house change. I granted her request, because if a student does not feel they belong where they are, they shouldn't be there. Now, I'm sure all of you like where you are, so I don't expectany ofyouto come here asking for a house chance,but this student was able to convince me to let her switch. So, this afternoon, Hermione Granger went from being a first year Gryffindor to a first year Slytherin." He smiled and clapped. The other teachers clapped politely, except Snape who clapped very loudly. Slytherin also clapped loudly, and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff clapped lightly. Professor McGonagall and the Gryffindors, however, didn't clap at all.

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	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Thanks for the reviews, everyone! I know it takes me a long time to update, but the only reason I _do_ eventually update is because of the feedback I get! BTW: Unusually short chapter, only five pages! Ah well.

**Chapter 5**

Life was going great for Hermione. She was a happy twelve-year-old Slytherin, with her first year of Hogwarts almost coming to a close, again. She hadnearly forgotten about her other life as a sixth year Gryffindor. The only times she thought about it was when she was lying in bed and she couldn't sleep. Thinking about that world made her wonder…

Would she ever get back? And if she did, would she ever have the life she should have? Would she be able to back to being friends with Harry and Ron as if nothing had ever happened? Oh wait, no, she wouldn't. Because she wasn't friends with them in either world. She'd forgotten that the reason she had been in that bathroom crying was because Harry and Ron had done that… thing, that had made her so upset.

She knew she was being stupid, she told herself suddenly one night, the night before she and Harry and Ron had originally gone through the trapdoor. She realized she was being stupid to be friends with the Slytherins out of desperation. She didn't get it; she hated Harry and Ron in this world for not saving her. They wouldn't have cared to see her get killed by that troll. Yet, she was doing all she could to help them stay alive without them realizing it was her. Why? Why was she doing that?

Because she really does want to be their friend, she concluded. She wanted them to like her, but she didn't want to make the first move. She expected them to just walk on over to her and talk to her like a friend. How could she even think that would happen? Especially after trying to expel them various times through the year?

She knew that she really did want to go back to the old world. But, she knew it would be weird going back… especially after knowing what she was doing to her life now…

* * *

It was dinner on the night when Harry and Ron were going to go through the trapdoor. Hermione was praying that they wouldn't get cold feet. She prayed that they go tonight, and not tomorrow night. Well, she thought, I guess I'll know tomorrow morning. 

She left dinner that night with the other Slytherins, but then she saw Harry and Ron leaving to the library together. She stopped, told the Slytherins she'd left some homework in the library and that she'd catch up with them in a few minutes, and then hurried after the two boys.

Once in the library, she chose a table close to theirs so she would be able to hear what they were saying.

"… sure, Harry?" Ron was muttering anxiously.

"Yes, Ron, for the last time, I'm sure I'm going!" Harry sounded irritated. "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to."

"No, I – I'll go," Ron stammered, his voice unusually high-pitched. "Who knows, you may need my help."

"Okay. So, we'll use my dad's Invisibility Cloak toget there, and we'll play Fluffy some music with the flute Hagrid sent me for Christmas…"

"And then…"

"And then we use the note's hints to get to the Stone, and Quirrel."

"What if they didn't tell us some stuff? You said yourself…"

"If this person left out some stuff, it was because they knew we could do it without their help," Harry said firmly. "At least, that's what I think."

There was silence. "Well… we might as well go to the common room and wait…"

"Yeah,"

They got up and left.

Hermione, breathing heavily, left a minute after them.

Good, so they were still going tonight. That's good. That's very good.

* * *

Hermione was very nervous as she tried to sleep. She kept glancing at the clock, until it was past midnight and Hermione knew that they'd left. Now, if they listen to her note and get past everything okay, they'd be in the hospital wingtomorrow and Quirrel will be dead…

She suddenly shot up in bed. She'd totally forgot – Dumbledore! Harry had told Ron and Hermione that Dumbledore had saved him in the nick of time. She remembered that the day they were going to go, Professor McGonagall had told them that Dumbledore had left for the Ministry!

She got out of bed and dressed quickly. She snatched her want from her bedside table and started for the Owlery, a quill and some parchment in her pocket.

If the chess match goes like it did before, then Ron will sacrifice himself so Harry could go on. Since she wasn't with them, she wouldn't be able to wake Ron up and take him out the trapdoor again. If she doesn't send an owl to Dumbledore, Voldemort and Quirrel will kill Harry, and as they're leaving, most likely Ron as well.

She made it to the Owlery without any disturbance. She quickly wrote a letter to Dumbledore that Harry and Ron were trying to get the Stone, but didn't sign it with her name, or any name at all. She sent the owl on its way.

She was breathing very deeply. What if he can't get here in time? What if Harry and Ron die?

She realized that it was more important for Harry and Ron to live and see that it was she who was helping them, than have them die so she could keep her cover. There was no need to have a cover if they were dead. Besides, if they die, would that mean that they die in the other world? If they die, there might be no world for her to go back to.

She ran down to the forbidden third floor corridor, not caring that she was making noise. She entered the room that Fluffy was in and immediately started playing the flute that Harry and Ron had left behind. She kicked Fluffy's paw out of the way and kicked the trapdoor open. She tossed the flute and jumped.

She landed on the dead Devil's Snare. She crossed over to the hard ground and opened the door.

She saw the keys flying around and grabbed a broom, already knowing which one she needed to catch. She flew around, dodging the keys who were trying to cut and scratch her, and found the one she needed; the brass key that had two bent wings. She grabbed it and flew down to the door. Ignoring the keys that were nipping her, she turned the lock and entered the next room.

The chess pieces were upright and ready to play. Hermione thought for a second that she had somehow surpassed Harry and Ron, but then she saw Ron sprawled on the ground, a deep gash in his cheek.

She ran on over to him. "Ron," She breathed, shaking him slightly. "Ron, wake up. Wake up, you bloody child," She hissed impatiently. She smacked him.

His eyes fluttered open. "Who are you?" He asked groggily, squinting.

"You don't know me," She said quickly. "I need to you to use a broom from the key room to fly out and try and find someone for help. Now!" She left him sitting there and then ran to the door. She was amazed, yet baffled, as to why the chess pieces didn't stop her. But she let that thought driftout ofher mind.

She pinched her nose as she crossed the room with the troll and entered the next room. This was the room with the bottles. Instantly, purple fire issued behind her, and black flames sprang upin front ofher. She made for the smallest bottle, and peeked in the see if there was anything left. There was a tiny bit still in there. She decided to down it and see if it did anything. If not, she'd go back through the purple fire.

She turned the glass bottle upside over her mouth, and a couple drops entered. She swallowed it, and to her great surprise, she felt as though her body was suddenly covered in ice. Amazed, she put her finger in the black flames, and felt, not burning, but a tickling sensation. She slowly stepped through the fire, and emerged at the other end.

She hurriedly hid behind a statue, as she didn't want Quirrel or Harry to know she was here. Harry and Quirrel were talking about something… something like there was only power and weakness. No good or bad.

Harry didn't believe them; he was yelling. Hermione suddenly realized that it was the back of Quirrel's head that was talking. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open in terror.

Quirrel made for Harry, but as he touched him, he got blisters all over his hands. Harry realized this and tried to touch Quirrel's face, but Quirrel dodged it. Harry looked barely conscious; he was barely holding on. She was just thinking that she should go and help when Voldemort's voice spoke "Kill the girl! Behind the statue!"

She felt her insides freeze, almost like she'd just downed another bottle of that stuff. Quirrel turned and started running toward her. She jumped up and pulled out her wand. "_Expelliarmus_!" She screamed, sending Quirrel backward.

Quirrel regained himself. He pulled out his wand and bellowed "_Crucio_!"

Hermione screamed. She screamed as she'd never screamed in her life, either this one or that. Her whole body was on fire… she just wanted it to end… she thought she heard Voldemort's voice saying "Kill her! Just kill her!"

And then, it stopped. She scrambled to her feet, breathing fast. She glanced over at Harry behind Quirrel, and saw that he was stillbarely conscious, and that he was only still awake because he wanted to either know that he wasn't dreaming, or that he didn't know who she was.

She disarmed Quirrel again. He flew back and hit his head, hard, and slumped to the ground. Hermione rushed over to Harry and said, very fast "Harry, you have to get out of here. I need you to get up and go. Use a broom to get out." Harry could barely keep his eyes opened, and Hermione had her voice disguised.

"What about you?"

"I have to wait for Dumbledore,"

"No… Voldemort'll kill you..."

"No, he won't. Trust me."

"Who… who are you?"

"You don't know me," She said as she'd said to Ron.

She backed away and hid behind the statue again as Harry stood up, slowly. She saw him look around for her, and sighed when he didn't find her. He stood for a moment, getting over a dizzy spell, and then Quirrel, who had anonymously regained consciousness, struck again.

Hermione screamed as Quirrel tackled Harry, trying to get the Stone. Then, she told herself that there was nothing she could do. Harry had to defeat Quirrel on his own.

Quirrel was struggling to get the Stone from Harry, who was putting up a very good fight. Harry threw Quirrel off and then put his hands on Quirrel's face. Quirrel screamed; he was blistering again. His whole body was crumbling; and suddenly he was nothing.

Harry was breathing heavily, the Stone clutched in his left hand. Then, something arose from the dead Quirrel's body and hit Harry. As Harry was falling, both to the ground and into unconsciousness, Hermione heard a voice call "Harry! Harry!"

Hermione saw the ring of fire surrounding the room disappear. Dumbledore bent over Harry and Hermione ran for it. She knew that Dumbledore had looked around and saw her, but he didn't say anything and she kept running. Hermione ran all the way into the key room, grabbed a broom and flew up out of the trapdoor, and then sprinted back to her dormitory.

Exhausted, she undressed and climbed into bed. She looked over and saw that it was four in the morning. She sighed; to keep her cover, she would have to get up at 6:30, as usual. Or else they would suspect it was her who had gone down to help them. She would use a complicated spell she had learned to erase the circles under her eyes in the morning. She set her alarm for extra loud so she wouldn't sleep through it.

With that thought, she drifted off into a deep sleep.


End file.
